All Yesterday's Parties: ""The Velvet Underground"" in Print, 1966-1971
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By Clinton Heylin
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This is a treasure trove of rediscovered words and ephemera on the band that was synonymous with New York: the Velvet Underground. The Velvet Underground was among the most influential bands of all time. It has often been said that while very few saw the Velvet Underground perform live, everyone who did started a band. Thus their sound can be easily detected in later artists such as David Bowie, Iggy Pop, the Talking Heads, REM, Jane’s Addiction, Yo La Tengo, Luna, and the Strokes. They are also credited with creating a streetwise, pre-punk sensibility that has become inseparable from the popular image of downtown New York. ‘Discovered’ by Andy Warhol in 1966, the Velvet Underground, feature Lou Reed and John Cale, became the house band of the avant-garde and composed songs simultaneously abrasive and poignant, standing in stark, striking contrast to the prevailing flower power vibe of the era. With such notorious pedigree, it is only natural that the story of the Velvet Underground has become shrouded in myth and hyperbole.
""All Yesterday’s Parties"" gathers, for the first time, writings and ephemera contemporaneous with the band’s actual existence, providing an invaluable snapshot of an era by such writers as Lester Bangs, Robert Greenfield, Patti Smith, and Lou Reed himself. Coupled with a complete discography, never-before-published flyers, original reminiscences of their live performances, and song-by-song commentary, it is an invaluable discovery for anyone interested in the Velvet Underground, their roots, and legacy.
